Principal Product Designer

Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology

Technology is at the heart of Disney’s past, present, and future. Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology is a global organization of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, data scientists, and more – all working to build and advance the technological backbone for Disney’s media business globally.

The team marries technology with creativity to build world-class products, enhance storytelling, and drive velocity, innovation, and scalability for our businesses. We are Storytellers and Innovators. Creators and Builders. Entertainers and Engineers. We work with every part of The Walt Disney Company’s media portfolio to advance the technological foundation and consumer media touch points serving millions of people around the world. 

Here are a few reasons why we think you’d love working here:

• Building the future of Disney’s media: Our Technologists are designing and building the products and platforms that will power our media, advertising, and distribution businesses for years to come.
• Reach, Scale & Impact: More than ever, Disney’s technology and products serve as a signature doorway for fans' connections with the company’s brands and stories. Disney+. Hulu. ESPN. ABC. ABC News…and many more. These products and brands – and the unmatched stories, storytellers, and events they carry – matter to millions of people globally. 
• Innovation: We develop and implement groundbreaking products and techniques that shape industry norms, and solve complex and distinctive technical problems

Design is centrally responsible for the design supporting all consumer-facing and business products and tooling for the Disney Entertainment & ESPN portfolio, including sports, entertainment, enterprise, UX, creative services and design research.

About Disney Streaming Product Design:

Disney Streaming Product Design is home to the designers redefining how audiences experience entertainment. We build across platforms that reach millions every day, and we’re constantly exploring what’s next. Whether it’s how stories are watched, interacted with, or felt, our goal is to design experiences that move people.

About the Role:

We’re looking for a Principal Product Designer for Emerging Experiences (XR/VR) to lead the next generation of immersive storytelling at Disney+. You’ll partner closely with product, engineering, and content teams to imagine, design, and deliver spatial experiences that feel magical, intuitive, and grounded in great product strategy.

This is a high-impact design leadership role focused on creating clarity from ambiguity, translating emerging tech into human-centered design, and mentoring a team that thrives on curiosity and experimentation. You’ll help define the design vision for XR and spatial computing across the Disney portfolio, guiding how users discover, interact with, and immerse themselves in three-dimensional environments.

We’re seeking a designer with deep product strategy instincts, exceptional interaction design craft, and strong leadership experience. You’ve built experiences that blend world-class usability with new paradigms of interface and interaction. You care as much about design as you do about the people behind it, and you partner with PMs as a true strategic peer, shaping a compelling narrative that builds trust with executive leaders and resonates with users alike.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and inspire a small team of designers through early-phase generative research, concept discovery, rapid prototyping, and iterative design for XR and spatial computing experiences.
• Define the product strategy and user experience vision for Disney+ on XR platforms, collaborating with PM, Engineering, and Research partners.
• Translate abstract product concepts into spatial systems, gestures, and storytelling-driven interfaces.
• Drive alignment across product, engineering, and executive stakeholders through storytelling, clear design documentation, and product vision presentations.
• Establish high standards of visual and interaction design craft that can evolve with emerging technologies.
• Champion accessibility, inclusivity, and user comfort in immersive environments.
• Mentor designers and foster a culture of confidence, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Partner with the DesignOps and Design Systems teams to evolve shared tools, processes, and libraries for immersive design.
• Stay close to users through research and experimentation, helping define what “watching” means in 3D, spatial, and mixed-reality contexts.

What To Bring

• 10+ years of experience designing for consumer products or platforms, with at least 2 years exploring XR/VR/AR or spatial interfaces.
• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent work experience.
• Proven ability to lead design strategy and execution from concept to launch in cross-functional environments.
• A portfolio demonstrating strong UX systems thinking, visual excellence, and interaction design across screen-based and emerging interfaces.
• Experience guiding or managing teams of mid-to-senior designers.
• Expert knowledge of user-centered design, prototyping, and storytelling techniques.
• Deep understanding of design for 3D environments, spatial ergonomics, or immersive interaction paradigms.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to drive alignment across disciplines.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and turning new technology opportunities into human experiences.
• Passion for innovation, experimentation, and building what’s next.

The hiring range for this position in Santa Monica, CA is $167,700.00 to $224,900.00 per year, and in San Francisco, CA is $183,700.00 to $246,400.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.